Jenkins asks district attorney to investigate county contracts

Westchester Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins Monday asked District Attorney Janet DiFiore to look into the awarding of the contract for repairs to the boardwalk at Playland Park, which was damaged during Hurricane Sandy.

The contract bids were opened and then rescinded after county officials found that the bids should not have been put out under emergency procedures. A minority-owned contracting company, Mace Contracting of New Rochelle, lost out on the contract. Titan Construction of White Plains ultimately won the bid. For more on the bids click here.

In his letter to DiFiore, Jenkins also said: “upon information and belief, a certain company that contracts with the County for various engineering and construction management services is believed to have received payments or other compensation from County personnel without having performed actual work or for unwarranted activities.”

It’s not clear what company Jenkins is referring to.

“If true, such actions would constitute a serious misuse of public funds and would violate provisions of the New York Penal Law and perhaps other New York statutes,” Jenkins wrote. “I request that your office initiate investigation concerning possible criminal activity by either County personnel and/or other entities associated with the award, performance, or management of County contracts for public works projects.”

The boardwalk was damaged during Hurricane Sandy and the Board of Legislators in January authorized $7.6 million in bonds to rebuild and repair the north, south and Kiddyland boardwalks and the main pier at Playland along with lighting, sound systems, fencing and roofing. A second bond, for $4.9 million, will let the county fix the Ice Casino roof and boilers and do other structural work to the building.

Elizabeth Ganga covers Westchester County government and politics. She has worked for The Journal News/LoHud.com since 2000 covering municipalities and schools in southern and northern Westchester and writing about housing, the environment and other issues.